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Raccoon
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_Raccoon (genus Procyon), also called ringtail , any of seven species of nocturnal mammals characterized by bushy ringed tails. The most common and well-known is the North American raccoon (Procyon lotor), which ranges from northern Canada and most of the United States southward into South America. It has a conspicuous black “mask” across the eyes, and the tail is ringed with 5 to 10 black bands.
_A stout animal with short legs, a pointed muzzle, and small erect ears, the North American raccoon is 75 to 90 cm (30 to 36 inches) long, including the 25-cm (10-inch) tail. Weight is usually about 10 kg (22 pounds) or less, although large males may grow to more than 20 kg. Those living in northern regions are larger than their southern counterparts. The North American raccoon’s fur is shaggy and coarse, and its colour is iron-gray to blackish with brown overtones. Southern raccoons are typically more silver, with northern “coons” tending toward blond or brown.
_Like all raccoons, the North American raccoon is an intelligent and inquisitive animal. The hairless front feet are highly dexterous and resemble slender human hands, the hind feet being thicker and longer.Raccoons adapt extremely well to human presence, even in towns and cities, where they den in buildings and thrive on a diet of garbage, pet food, and other items available to them.
_In early spring males mate with more than one female. Annual litters contain one to six (usually three or four) young, born in late spring after a gestation period of 60–73 days. The female takes a keen interest in her young and cares for them for about a year, even though the young begin hunting food and are weaned at about two months. In captivity raccoons can live up to 20 years, but few survive beyond 5 in the wild.
_Because of its fondness for eggs, nestlings, corn, melons, and garbage, the raccoon is unwelcome in some areas. It is still hunted (often with hounds) and trapped for its fur and flesh. The North American raccoon played an important role in the North American fur industry during the 19th century. In the early decades of the 20th century, raccoon coats were de rigueur for the sporting set. As a result of the fur’s value, raccoons were introduced to France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Russia, where they have become a nuisance. ( http://www.britannica.com/)